Tobacco facts are devastating. And smoking health risks are a major worldwide health threat. Tobacco is responsible for a million preventable premature American deaths every year  but that's just in the U.S. Worldwide, tobacco use kills about 5½ million people every year.

Smoking is a major health risk factor for six out of the eight leading causes of deaths worldwide. Tobacco use kills about half of all tobacco users.

And while smoking health risks are vitally important, smoking also wrinkles skin and yellows teeth, making smokers look a lot older than their age.

Other Tobacco Facts and Smoking Health Risks

Detrimental tobacco facts aren't just related to accelerated aging, poor health and death. Tobacco also takes a toll on the family pocketbook. Besides the cost of cigarettes, there are all the other smoking health risk expenses, like medications, doctors and lost work sick days.

Tobacco use is responsible for:

80% of esophageal cancer deaths,

at least 85% of the emphysema deaths,

most of nearly 4,000 throat cancer deaths,

and lung cancer risk is 10 times greater for smokers than non-smokers.

Smoking also:

causes cancers of the respiratory system,

multiplies the risk of cervical cancer 4 times,

doubles the risk of breast and stomach cancers,

is responsible for 40% of bladder and kidney cancers,

and raises the risk of cancer of the larynx by 25 to 30 times.

In addition, smokers have:

twice the risk of having a stroke

and four times the risk of heart disease.

And passive smoking (breathing in other peoples second hand smoke) increases heart disease risk by 50 to 60%. So, smoking not only hurts the smoker, it also hurts their family and friends.

As for children, second hand smoke increases by 6 times:

coughs,

bronchitis,

and pneumonia.

And, children born to smokers have a much greater risk of unhealthy low birth weight, as well as increased ear infections.